Bubble gum | Cherry cream | Rose petal | Strawberry | Peach | Honey

Cherry | Plum | Creamsicle | Light cinnamon | Vanilla | Light oak

Loganberry | Apricot | Golden raisin | White pepper | Light toasted oak

Barrell Craft Spirits continues to expand their black label series with this nationwide release that combines 18 year old Kentucky whiskey finished in cabernet sauvignon barrels with 23 and 25 year old Canadian whiskey finished in Sauternes barrels. This release features less of the corn whiskey taste that their 2025 black label releases featured. The result is an opulent whiskey that elegantly blends the flavors of cabernet sauvignon and Sauternes to prove to be a beneficial pairing.

Despite its 123.24 proof point, Barrell Whiskey 18 Year Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauternes Barrels drinks light and is more approachable than you’d expect it to be. This helps bring out its fruit-forward flavor profile in a balanced manner. The aroma is soft, with gentle scents of 1980s baseball card pack bubble gum, cherry cream, rose petal, strawberry, and peach. Likewise, cherry continues into the palate and is joined by plum and a creamsicle note. This fruitiness is nicely offset by tempered notes of light cinnamon, vanilla, and light oak. The finish starts with whimsical notes of loganberry, followed by apricot and golden raisin, concluding with white pepper and light toasted oak.  

In a lot of ways, this tastes like a spiritual successor to the company's Seagrass line of products. Its light mouthfeel and overall sweet fruit-forward temperament will be a treat to anyone who enjoys this style of whiskey. It features impeccable balance that brings the entire sip together into a surprisingly cohesive sip. Though some of Barrell's black label series have proved to be unique and sometimes challenging sips, Barrell Whiskey 18 Year Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauternes Barrels finds a fantastic middle ground.